Help me work out when to express at work?

[becstar]

I'm a teacher and my boss is being great about me needing to express and is very accomodating, but I can't really do much about the fact that lessons are at certain times... Help me work out the best times to express?

Ilana wakes up for the day anywhere between 5-7am. If I feed her at 5am I can try to feed her just before I leave to fill her up a bit (still not taking a bottle, working on the beaker thing but she might not have much during the day) and if she's up at 7 I'll only be able to feed her once... Anyway, I have to leave by 7.30/8.45 at the latest.

The kids come in at 8.55 and assembly is at 9am. Breaktime is 10.20-10.35 and I don't get a whole 15 minutes as I have to set up the next lesson and the kids take ages to go out! Lunch is 11.35-12.35 (again, I don't get the whole hour but will have more time), then the kids are with me from 12.35-3.25. I'll hopefully be home by 4.30 and will be able to feed her straight away then.

I can probably manage to squeeze in a short afternoon break when I can get the kids to go out with my teaching assistant to play while i express (it is allowed and I usually let them out each afternoon anyway)... Just trying to work out how to do it best?

I could feed her at 7ish, then express during assembly at 9am, then again at the end of lunch (12.15ish and then have an afternoon break at 2ish to express? or try to squeeze it in at break and in the afternoon? Not sure what to do? She was going 3-4 hours between daytime feeds before...

 

[petal040]

Hmm... I think the assembly, lunch then afternoon sounds like timewise you'd be doing it regularly - if that makes sense?

You've probably already thought of this - but would you be able to pump one breast while she's feeding from the other in the morning or during her other feeds? I was wondering if that might produce some milk for her during the day so you wouldn't have to pump as much at work, maybe?

 

[TigerLady]

I would definately aim for the 3x per day, spaced as best you can. 9, beginning of lunch (so 1130 ish) and 2 sound really good. TBH, the most important thing will be keeping your supply up until you see what she does. If you are lucky, and she suddenly decides to start taking EBM from a cup or bottle (FX), you will be able to judge how much she eats better. Then the important thing will be to pump at least as much as she eats while you are gone.

I am hoping (for both of you) that when she gets hungry, she will finally cave to EBM from a bottle/cup. If she doesn't within a couple of weeks, then re-evaluate. But, for a start, I would shoot for pumping at least 3-5 ounces per session (more if you can manage)... 3 sessions per day. If you end up with extra, just store it. It is better to have too much than not enough, imo.

Does that sound realistic for you?

 

[becstar]

Sounds good, thanks ladies. I don't want to jinx it but today she has taken 50ml in one sitting from her beaker! I couldn't be prouder...

 

[TigerLady]